New Delhi, April 14 (KNS) : Noted Senior Supreme Court Advocate and apex bar leader Ashok Bhan on Monday asserted that Dr B R Ambedkar viewed constitutionalism not merely as a legal framework but as "an expression of the conscience of the idea of Bharat".
Addressing a gathering of lawyers here, Bhan said Ambedkar’s greatest gift to India was the living principle of constitutionalism—demanding restraint in exercise of power, respect for institutional boundaries, and unwavering fidelity to liberty, equality, and fraternity.
“For me, as a member of the Bar and a student of constitutional law, this is not merely a tribute to a great leader, but an affirmation of an enduring idea—that India must always be governed by the rule of law, guided by secular democracy, reason, pluralism, majesty of judiciary, and anchored in justice,” Bhan said.
The senior advocate highlighted that as the principal architect of the Constitution, Ambedkar ensured it became a shield for the weakest and a check on the mightiest. Fundamental Rights, judicial independence, and due process were for him instruments to transform a deeply unequal society into a just and humane order.
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“Without constitutional morality, even the finest Constitution could be subverted. Institutions must be stronger than individuals, and principles must prevail over expediency,” Bhan cautioned, recalling Ambedkar’s repeated warnings.
Bhan further noted that Ambedkar’s struggle against caste oppression was essentially a struggle to align social realities with constitutional promises, urging a transition from political democracy to social democracy—where equality is practiced in everyday life.
Urging the legal fraternity, Bhan said the most fitting tribute to Ambedkar would be to act as vigilant custodians of constitutional values, especially in times of polarisation and institutional strain.
“Dissent is not disloyalty, rights are not concessions, and the rule of law must remain supreme over all authority,” he added. (KNS)